Crushed Aftermath
by Paradise Insomnia or a.d
Summary: A fanfic based off what happened when Minthe showed up to Hades' place in Chapter 45. WARNING: Some vulgar language


Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Hades shot up at the sound. Who could that be at these hours? Maybe the rain was playing tricks on his ears.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Nope. Not a trick. He got out of bed and grabbed a pair or joggers. He slipped them on before wrapping his robe around him. His dogs stirred but were silent as he walked past their kennels to the door. He turned the doorknob to see Minthe, soaked from the rain. Her dark eyes were red and puffy.

"Minthe, what are you doing here?" he asked concerned and confused.

She sniffled, "Can we please talk?"

He stepped to the side and let her walk in. Water dripped from her coat and hair.

"Let me get you a towel," Hades said as he walked to the bathroom. She might need a change of clothes. He could swear she had left some clothes and underthings in his apartment but wasn't sure. He walked back out to the main entrance and brought Minthe several towels.

"I didn't know if you had something you left here to change into."

"No, I didn't but it's fine. Really, Hades…I just want to talk," she said as she removed her coat.

Hades, ever the gentleman, took her coat and used his magic to dry it off for her. He hung it up and they walked into his sitting room.

She placed a towel on his leather couch and wrapped the other towel around herself. The familiar scent of clean linen surrounding her.

She sighed and looked at him as he sat down across from her.

"I want to apologize for my behavior recently."

"Minthe..."

"Hades please, I know I've been a total bitch," she said, the words harsh like a cut. Not to him, to herself. She was shaking a bit.

"You asked me what happened between us and I feel like I should be honest with you," she said her voice breaking.

"When we first got together, I was happy. Truly. You are an amazing man," she said looking at him smiling with tears streaming down her face.

"You showed me kindness unlike any I've ever known and that should have been enough," she choked, a heavy sob overtaking her. Hades moved closer and held her hand.

She looked at him and pulled her hand away slowly. "Hades...what happened between us was that I got greedy. You're a king. I'm a commoner. And I wanted status. I wanted security. I wanted money. I wanted everything you had. Everything, but you."

The truth hurts. And Hades felt a knife twisting his heart and his gut.

"Is that so?" he asked, his voice filled with sadness.

"It turned into that, yes. But for a brief time, I was happy. My life changed when I met you. I could say for the better."

"Minthe, if you were happy with me...what made you change your feelings?"

Her ears slumped down. "I never had financial security. Hence the string of odd jobs and you finding me dancing in a strip club to make ends meet."

How could he forget. She was an enchanting dancer and he remembered how he was intrigued by not just her body but her intellect when he paid for her to meet him in a private room. She was about to remove her top when he asked her to sit. She sat next to him and he asked her what her name as. She had a smart mouth and they had chemistry. They had history. To hear it was all a lie was a shock. He ran his hand through his white hair and exhaled deeply.

"Hades, I was so thankful for the job but when we got closer, I didn't know if I would be able to keep the job forever. I didn't want to go back to being a dancer after being accepted into your world. After the kindness you showed me. So, I had to do something to keep you. 'Treat 'em mean, keep him keen' was the mentality I had. That why I started acting distant and asking for things. I thought if I could keep you on your toes that you wouldn't leave me."

He felt anger rush through his body. "Minthe, had you gone with me to the Panathenaea I would have proposed to you." There. She dropped her truth, now he was going to drop his.

Her eyes went wide and she lost her breath. "What?"

"Minthe, I did love you. But when you started acting differently, I thought it was something I did. I'm relieved to know it wasn't my fault, but I'm disappointed in you. I didn't give you a job because I felt sorry for you. I saw your potential to be more and I wanted to give you the chance to better yourself." He stood up and turned his back to her. "I know you're jealous of Persephone."

She flinched at the name and pulled the towel tighter around herself and the tears just began to pour.

He sighed. "I need you to go, Minthe. I'll work out where to place you at U.C because you cannot be my personal assistant anymore."

Her eyes filled with anger. "That or you're going to make that little girl your PA to fuck around with her," she retorted angrily.

"DO NOT GO THERE!" Hades said raising his voice and turning around. "Persephone was almost killed on her first day. I have no idea how she got to Tartarus. And if you know Minthe, by Gods you better tell me," he said, leaning over her, his hands on either side of the sofa behind her. "Because if you were the one who sent her there, I will not only fire you, but I will make your life a living nightmare worse than Tartarus itself. Now tell me," he said stroking her cheek and wiping her tears. "What do you know about the security breach?" he asked in a sensual and killer tone.

If he wanted to, he could kill her and put her out of the misery she was in. She swallowed her fear and looked him in the eye.

"I'm the one who sent her. I sent her there because I wanted her out of the picture. Out of your life so you'd come back to me," she hissed, her courage coming forward. Go big or go home.

He let out a sinister chuckle. "Because your meal ticket was getting away is that it?" he said through gritted teeth as his hands crushed the leather and a crack was heard.

Minthe's spine tingled and not in an erotic way. He could kill her. Here and now. It would be so easy for him. "Exactly," she said, as fearless as she could.

SNAP! The couch was crushed under his hands. He let go of the broken leather and stepped back. "Get the fuck out. Do not come back to my house. Pack your things and leave the Underworld," he said, his red eyes burning with fury. "Oh, and you're fired. Effective immediately for misconduct and endangering the life of an employee."

Minthe stood up. "She's a child and an intern; not a full employee. Do you really think that she's going to be able to handle your baggage? Your fucked-up past? She is going to break you, Hades. You two are completely different. You are just as broken and messed up as I am. And this just proves that you really are a piece of shit," she said grabbing her coat. "You want to threaten me? Fine. You want to pursue a child who knows nothing about you? Fine, I can't stop you. But if you really are going to banish me let me make one thing clear to you, Your Highness," she said with such venom and hatred. Her heart was pained but she could not back down now. She was going to let him hear it. She was being honest and even though it was costing her everything, she couldn't stop now. She'd come clean about sending Persephone to Tartarus and he wasn't going to let it go. She took a breath before she spoke. "Everything you want with her, you will never get, Hades. I don't know who you are anymore. I don't know what sickens me more: your pride or you lusting after a child who knows nothing. You'll allow yourself to fall for a child. Disgusting. I may not be a goddess, but I am not a child, Hades. You're sick and repulsive; I can't even look at you," she said angrily. A sob welled up in her throat but she held it back as she said, "I curse you to a life without peace. Without happiness," she said with anger and with tears streaming down her cheeks.

"AND EVERYTHING YOU WANT WITH HER, YOU WILL LOOSE!" she screamed with a choking sob as she slammed the door and walked away hailing a cab.

Hades walked into his kitchen and opened a bottle of scotch. He poured a glass, to the rim and swung it back. How could he be so stupid? All the signs were there. None of his family liked her. Everyone told him he could do better. Maybe Minthe was right. He was fucked up. He could hear his mother's voice in his head calling his name so tenderly.

He heard Big John, Mushroom, J.P, and Cerebus whining and let them out of their kennels. The dogs surrounded their master and he sunk to the floor, his head against the wall.

"She's right…I am fucked up. Not only that, but I'm falling for someone who is two millennia younger than I am." Cerebus rested his head on Hades' lap while Big John nuzzled his cheek. Silent tears rolled down his face. He was a broken mess, and Minthe was not wrong about that. He sighed and thought about what she had said. Maybe he was afraid to be alone. He was afraid to open up to Persephone more than he already had. The fact she was able to get him to open up to her frightened him. He wanted his mother desperately to comfort him as she had on his birthday before his father swallowed him whole. He called the one person who might be able to help him make sense of things.

A groan as the phone was answered. "H-Hello…?"

"Can we talk?" he asked, his voice heavy and holding in a slew of emotions.

Minthe hailed a taxi and got in.

"Styx River Apartments on Reaper Drive," she said. She rode the cab in silence. She whipped out her phone and deleted Hades' number. She was so livid. She just fucked herself over. She knew Hades was serious about her getting out of the Underworld. She'd have to move to the mortal realm or Olympus. She'd really fucked herself over.

"Styx River Apartments," the taxi driver said. She paid him and got out. From here on out, she was going to have fend for herself. She checked her banking account and saw her money was still there. She sighed with relief as she walked up to her apartment. She looked around and let out a deep breath. It was over for her. She looked at her phone and called Thetis. No answer. Straight to voicemail.

"I fucked up. Big time. I'm leaving town. I don't know where I'm going but I'm leaving. I hope you end it with Zeus. He's not worth it and neither is what you're doing," she said as she hung up.

She changed her clothes and left her phone on the counter. Hades wanted her gone, she'd disappear. It was the least she could do after dragging him along. She grabbed her purse and wallet. She'd go to the bank and withdraw everything she could. She was no longer welcome in the Underworld. She took a deep breath as she walked out the door and locked it behind her.

_(Author's Note: Hello lovely Cinnamon Rolls! I know this chapter came out forever ago, but I never got around to sharing it until now. I hope you enjoy it and if you did please let me know. I'd love to share more if you like what I wrote. Thanks much love, Paradise!)_


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